Say One Last Goodbye
by EloraCooper4
Summary: Reavers attack Serenity and the crew fight for their lives. Chapter Two is up! The remaining crew members find a new home, except one who learns he is alone.
1. Default Chapter

Pre-Note: Ok first of all this is not betaed yet so sorry if there are mess ups or any sort. Let me know please so I can edit and such. Oh yeah bring a hankie.

Say One Last Goodbye

Wash held his breath. He knew that his breath would not alert the other ship to Serenity's presence, but he held breath none the less.

"Please. Please." Zoe whispered as she slipped her hand down Wash's shoulder to meet his hand. Her eyes were glued to the ship drifting barely a mile away. Mal finally made it up to the bridge. He sighed, it was happening again. They had gone through this too many times lately. The Reavers really were pushing out farther. And today they decided to push themselves on Serenity. This time Mal's palms were sweatier and his pulse higher. He had gotten past them too often. Their luck was bound to go sour eventually. And although Wash was a gifted pilot…he still was human.

Everyone in the bridge knew this as Mal spoke to his crew over the com.

"Reavers." He said in an overly calm voice. Kaylee stopped inspecting the engine. Simon looked up from his notes. Jayne sharpened his knife harder. Book brought the Bible close to his heart. And River screamed.

"Will you turn down that sister of yours, Doc?" Mal asked specifically to Simon in the infirmary. But the doctor was on his feet before he heard Mal's message.

"Run. No no hide. Can't hide. Just wait. Wait for the pain to begin."

"Mei-mei shhh…we've gotten through it before. We'll make it."

"Yes some us….but they won't. I can see their skin ripped of burnt. And blood everywhere. Eyes gone Simon! You can't let him suffer!" River fell into her brother's arms. The ship shook.

"Aiya!" Wash screamed, and then the lights flickered and burnt out. Followed by the engine failing. Kaylee scrambled to find the problem. Simon stroked his sister's hair. River whispered, "Don't let him suffer." Jayne started strapping his body with every gun known to man. Book ran up to the bridge to see Mal and Wash fumbling around the controls. Zoe stood by Wash. Her hands covered her face and her tears.

"Can I be an assistance?" Book asked the frantic men.

"Start praying to your God." Mal shouted back at him. Book ignored the captain knowing what stress he was under. Wash on the other hand was completely calm.

"Hey Shepherd can you send a distress call to the closest ship."

"Anyone."

"Anything. Just be thankful that the distress callers still work. At least they did something right when they made this boat." Wash said with ease as he moved to give Book his chair.

"They locked everything. I can't even hit the lights on. Everything's locked." Kaylee said over the com.

"Well then unlock it Kaylee." Mal snapped back. The captain saw the end was near, but wasn't willing to let destiny take hold.

Zoe's cries intensified, as the ship jerked.

"They grappled on." Kaylee murmured. Mal got up from under the left consul and ran to the com.

"Everybody to the bridge now." The captain screamed into the com. Jayne was the first to come, completely covered with weapons. Kaylee came next holding River while Simon walked behind them.

"What do we do?" Simon asked.

A bang made the crewmembers fall from their previous positions. 

"They're coming." Wash whispered as his wife collapsed onto the floor. The pilot ran to her and held her close kissing her forehead. He didn't say that it would be okay.

"We have to do something we just can't wait for them." Simon yelled trying to cause some action among his new family.

"I don't mean to. They might take us down, but hell we're gonna give them a fight that'll make them think twice before they raid another firefly." Mal orated his angers had subsided. Instead he switched back to the sergeant. He was back at Serenity Valley and he had troops to protect.

"Tell us what to do." Book said in a military fashion. The others looked to their captain waiting for instructions.

"Jayne you're with me up front on the rafters in the cargo bay. Our goal is to keep the bastards in the cargo bay." Jayne couldn't look Mal in the eyes.

"Jayne you with me?" The merc lifted his face to reveal that he was quivering with fear.

"I know know Mal, I-"

"Kaylee will be up here. You gotta stay in the cargo bay to keep the Reavers away from her…got it, Jayne?" Jayne took a quick glance at Kaylee who finally allowed tears to fall down her face. Jayne found reassurance in her eyes. He nodded to Mal.

"Fine then, Book. I want you to stay stationed at the infirmary. And Wash I want you by the kitchen. If the reavers make it past the cargo bay you two will be the last ones to stop them." Book cocked his gun. Wash gave Mal a weak but accepting smile.

"Doc, you are gonna protect the girls if you can." Mal's thoughts wondered to Zoe. Usually Mal would want her to help the good doctor, but his first mate was gone. She held on to Wash in complete agony. It was the first time Mal had ever seen her breakdown. Looking down at Wash holding his wife, Mal finally understood the couple.

"Alright. Let's go to work." Was the last thing Mal said to his crew. Jayne's eyes found Kaylees's.

"Thank you." He said to her then following Mal to the cargo bay.

Book said a prayer to himself and then said,

"Bless us all. Especially you three." Book motioned to Wash and Zoe still embracing. Book nodded to the group and left.

Wash knew it was time. He was feeling pain that towered over the pain Niska had inflicted upon him. A pain he couldn't imagine.

"I gotta go now bao-bei."

"No! Don't leave us. Wash we need you please. I can't go on-"

"You can and you will." Was Wash's reply. He gave his wife one last kiss on the forehead. He then placed his hand on his wife's stomach.

"I love you both." The pilot got up. He embraced River, Simon, and Kaylee quickly and headed for the stairs.

"I love you!" Zoe called after him. Wash looked back with a twinkle in his eye.

"I know." He ran for the kitchen. Kaylee, now constantly crying closed the door of the bridge,

"Kaylee take Zoe and River down to the cargo area and hide." Simon said.

"I want to stay with you. Kaylee'll hide Zoe and the baby good. I'll protect you." River didn't even allow her brother to answer; she leaped into Wash's chair drumming her fingers on the arm.

Kaylee went over to River and pulled the girl into an embrace. She then helped Zoe off the floor. She held Zoe in her arms as she looked at Simon.

"Simon..I..I wish…I hope we survive this cause if we do-" He stopped her by putting his lips on hers.

"We will. I love you, Kaylee."

"Right back at you Doc." Kaylee and Zoe descended into the small and usually forgotten cargo area.

When Kaylee sat Zoe down next to her she whispered in her ear.

"So what names do you have picked out for the baby?" Trying to keep both of their minds off the upcoming battle outside.

"For a girl or boy?" Screams and gunshots began in the distance.

"Girl!" Kaylee said.

"Bromwyn, was a favorite of mine since I was a girl. Fern too." A piercing scream erupted.

"How bout a boy?"

"Wash likes Marco. Which is ridiculous can you imagine? Marco Warren?" Zoe giggled through her tears,

"Jayne would tease him. With the whole Marco Polo."

"Yeah…are the screams getting loader?"

"What do you like for boys?"

"Horace. I like Horace a lot." Kaylee heard Book and Wash yelling something to each other. She scrambled for another question.

"Who'd be the God parents?"

"Well you ….you and Mal. If Mal agrees to the whole "God" father thing."

"Then Simon can deliver the baby and Shepherd can christen him or her. River will be her playmate and Jayne…."

"He'll stay far far away." The women laughed as the door to the bridge opened by Simon's hand. Screaming echoed down the hall. Wash screamed, Simon left the bridge to help the pilot with River at his heals. Kaylee scurried away from Zoe ready to sacrifice herself for her unborn Godchild. She had never felt braver.

Inara Serra woke up. Brielle, a fellow companion stood above her with a grave look upon her delicate face.

"What? Is it Serenity?" She had a dream. Her family was running screaming and holding on to the ship. But now the companion was in her own room not the shuttle. Even though the room still had the same furniture and colors it was never home.

"What happened?" Inara drilled the girl.

"The alliance waved us. They said they was….." Brielle held back worrying that the news would hurt her sister companion. But Inara was not a patient woman.

"What, Brielle. They were what?"

"Hit by Reavers." Inara stared at the girl with horror in her eyes. She sat silently in shock for moments until she was able to ask,

"Were there any survivors?" She new it was unlikely but she had to ask. One man had survived it. True, it had drove him insane but he survived.

"Actually there were only a few, though, most are gone."

"Who? Did they say?"

"No, Madame. Only that the survivors wanted to see you."

"Survivors? More than one?" Tears fell from her face and she did not try to hide

them. Instead she left her bed and prepared herself to leave. Without looking at the girl Inara said to her, "I must leave. Tell Mother that I will wave her when I can."

"But what about your appointments?"

"Cancel them."

"But Madame-"

"For heaven's sake, Brielle. They are my family," Inara screamed her emotions on full display, "I shouldn't have left them in the first place. Inara grabbed her bags and left Brielle dumbfounded by the companion's naked emotions.

_Who is it? Who's alive?_ Inara wondered as she piloted a shuttle that was used for companioning only _Can I use that as a verb?_ Wash asked in Inara's head. She sighed. Wash's voice was what she so looked forward to hearing after every appointment. So calm and unassuming and loving. Wash single handedly gave her faith in the male species. So much could be said for the man that was about to become a father.

_Zoe and the baby._ Inara knew it was horrible to think such but she's rather see Zoe alive than any other member of the crew. She would bring Wash's child into the world. And hopefully she would make he or she would make the world brighter. River. Now she made their lives more interesting. She was so weak yet so strong at the same time. Inara wouldn't be surprised in the least to see the troubled girl alive. The Reaver attack may have not even affected her. Her brother on the other hand was so self-less. That worried Inara. His devotion to his sister and now the whole crew could be his undoing. Poor self-less Simon. He was handed a hard deck in life. And the Preacher. Who knew what kind of life he lived. Inara had no idea if the man would be alive. She knew the man when he said grace but not when he held a gun. Jayne always held a gun. That's who he was. A shiver went down her back wondering if Jayne turned on Mal in the last minute. The merc had always freaked at the talk of Reavers maybe he'd chicken out but maybe he'd hold it together for Kaylee. That mechanic might as well been Inara's sister. She loved her so much the thought of her even in pain caused Inara pain in return. She couldn't even think about Kaylee's possible death for long. Inara's thoughts came to Mal but quickly graced over him. She knew that he was dead. And she knew he was the first to die. He wouldn't have had it any other way.

"Inara Serra?" The companion nodded to an overly plump nurse. Her wire rimmed spectacles dangled on the bottom of her minuscule nose, and her chemical enhanced red hair frizzed around the frame of her face. She didn't seem to fit among the incredibly sterile and non-personal hospital. Most of the nurses and doctors had determined but cold eyes. This nurse however, whose name was Milly, was the only smiling, unassuming face.

"Yes a ship was hit by Reavers-"

"Oh yes poor dears. Everytime the woman wakes up she screams out a name. We assume one of the deceased." Milly's smile melted to a concerned frown.

"Take me to them, please." Inara said a knot tightening in her chest.

"Of course." Milly waddled over to the companion and guided her to room 220.

"There are two of them in here. The young man wanted to be with the woman. Claims he's her doctor. Looks too young to me, but then again I'm getting too old! Sorry, dear, just go right in." The nurse left Inara as the door slid open.

Simon was sitting in the corner of the room. His hands were holding up his head until the door opened and he looked up.

"Inara?" He jumped up and embraced the woman. When they let go of each other Inara recognized his wounds. His left arm was hanging in a sling and a large gash covered the whole of his right cheek. Other then those two injuries he seemed unhurt.

"Is anyone else alive?" Inara began until a scream interrupted her. On the opposite side of the room Zoe Warren was laid down on a stretcher. Restraints held her down, but there were no restraints on her mouth.

"WASH, no." She screamed.

"They've given her every sedative a pregnant woman can have. Nothing is working." Simon whispered. Tears began to fall from the companion's eyes again.

"Just the two of you? And the baby is…" She asked afraid to hear the truth.

"Fine. The baby's fine…but no Jayne is in intensive care. They don't know if he'll make it through the night."

"Kaylee, Wash, Book….Mal-"

"Dead. Kaylee died a few hours ago." Simon looked into the distance.

"And River."

"She's gone." Inara pulled Simon close to her again.

"Tell me everything…and how-"

"I'm sane?" Simon chuckled cruelly, "Well it's long but important right? Well just out of no where Reavers grappled on to us. Turned everything off. Serenity was dead. Mal and Jayne headed them off. Apparently, Jayne lost it when one touched him. Started shooting all around. Ended up hitting Mal…Jayne left and hid with his wounds. They killed Book fast they just ripped him apart. Wash….he tried. But," Simon broke. His voice unwilling to go on. But he gathered up his little left strength and continued, "They were ripping off his…skin. River and I ran to help him. They ripped his skin off. I had to. I had a gun. I killed him. I saved him…either don't know. After that River knocked me out. I don't remember anything else. She wanted to spare me I guess. They went after River…ignored me…they got to Kaylee…but they never found Zoe. The Alliance came before they could. And here we are, Inara. I want to die." He said holding back his tears with full confidence. The calm doctor was gone and left an angst-ridden soldier in his stead. The two friends held each other in mourning while Zoe continued to scream for her husband.

"Inara Serra?" Milly walked in a smile back on her face. "Oh dear, I'm sorry sweetie but there is a man here to see you." Inara looked up from Simon's shoulder.

"What? Tell him to go away."

"He said to tell you that Bridget was no good. That he wanted you now. Do you understand that?" The nurse asked. Simon and Inara looked at each other with understanding. The companion rose up and nodded to the nurse. She mouthed, I'll be back, to Simon as she left.

"Hello 'Nara." Monty said quietly. The Monty she had caught a glimpse of months ago was not the same one before her. For one his face was covered with facial hair, but more importantly he was in a lab coat which did not have one speck of dirt on him

"Hi-" Inara's eyes wandered to the id badge on his chest, "Dr. Soren. Simon will be happy to see you. If you will excuse us." Inara said to the nurse she simply smiled and waved as Monty and Inara walked into the room.

"Monty what in the hell is going on?" Inara grumbled under her breath. Simon got up from the ground to meet Mal's old war buddy.

"They know you're here, son." Monty said to Simon.

"I don't care. River's dead." Was his answer.

"They don't care about that. They still consider you dangerous because you know about the program. You know any little bits and they'll take you in anyway."

"Excuse me but before we resume. How do you know any of this?"

"Mal told me a whiles back."

"Mal?"

"It kind slipped and yeah I beat him hard in tall card." Simon sighed.

"So what are we going to do?" Inara asked trying to get the back to the important details.

"You come with me." Monty answered without hesitation.

"No we can't ask you to do this. It'll put your life in danger-"

"Son, the Reavers killed Malcolm Reynolds. Not the Alliance. We'll make it." Monty replied with utter confidence.

"Zoe had to come with us." The doctor murmured. Monty looked over to the woman he had known in battle. Inara saw the large man shiver over her knew condition.

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

"What about Jayne?" Inara questioned unsure what type of a reaction she'd get. Monty looked over to Simon. The young doctor hadn't taken his eyes off of Zoe.

"We leave him. Just like he left us." Monty nodded and explained his plan to the last crewmembers of Serenity.

Post: Let me know what you think don't be shy to say this didn't make sense and such. I have to edit ;) Just please no flames believe me I had no pleasure in killing people! Let me know what you think and maybe drop a name or two for the baby J Thanx guys.


	2. Sister

Hi all, much thanx to earthdrago and lily for reading the first part of my fic. Sorry it took ages to write chapter 2. Just to let you all know, I am aware that I made Zoe going out of character. I read somewhere that Gina Torres was looking forward to the day Zoe snapped and became emotional. So I decided that the threat of loosing her crew, husband, and baby kinda would be the thing to do it. There will be more on her in the next chapter. And much thanx to my wonderful beta Kat! I hope you all enjoy Monty's crew ;)

Say One Last Goodbye

Chapter 2

"Where the hell is Monty?" A red headed woman grumbled outside of the Alliance hospital. She was leaning against an ambulance and squirmed in the uniform that was one size to tight. Her comrade was sitting a foot away lighting up his fifth cigar of the night. He was unusually tall and thin, although an observer could easily see that he had a natural grace. Shifting his position, he rested his head on the woman's feet. The woman grumbled in protest the man blew his smoke upwards towards her.

"Aw c'mon Haven he'll be back soon. With new fun people to meet." He said sarcastically while flicking his ashes up into the air.

"Hey they can't be that bad. Mal was a good egg. His crew can't be that bad." Haven replied with some optimism, "Well at least there will be some other women on board. Hasn't been one since that bitch Bridget." The man below her giggled through his smoke.

"Let's just hope that they are less psycho. Or at least equally psycho. I manage to live with you after all." The woman kicked her feet out causing the man's head to meet pavement.

"Owww!" The man screamed obviously being over dramatic.

"Wimp," Haven laughed. She bent over and attempted to kiss the man.

"No way! No way, Haven. We talked about this." The man jumped away from the woman and got off from the floor now looking down slightly so they could match eyes. Haven's happy disposition melted away and left a cold remainder.

"Iggy, I don't have serious relationships. I don't believe in labels. And I thought you agreed with me."

"Sure I did!" Iggy replied his face getting redder by the moment, "I said whatever I had to say to get you to pay attention to me and-"

"Get me in your bed?"

"I was going to be more gentle about it but yes. Eventually, Haven it's gotta be something more! Fang-she we hide it. When we are together we can't speak or….Haven it's a prison." The woman looked at her lover straight in the eyes without hesitation.

"Well then I guess we are done with. I have fun. And I'm not having fun with you anymore. I haven't in weeks…in fact I'm not sure if I ever did." Iggy just stared at the woman; he couldn't imagine anything worse for her to say.

"Haven! Iggy! We got a patient to transfer." Monty screamed from a distance.

"We're on it." Haven called back and she jumped into the ship without a glance at her ex. Iggy ridded himself of his broken pride for a moment to open the back of the shuttle. Monty ran to the shuttle, or waddled was a better description. He was accompanied by a young man who looked older than the age his body presented and a beautiful woman who was dressed as a nurse. The uniform was obviously too big for her but Iggy still could tell she was quite an ample woman. Iggy thought that maybe the new guys wouldn't be so bad. Then he heard the other woman cry…Zoe; he had seen her before. She was somewhat like Haven, but more calm and poised. If Zoe was a graceful but deadly praying mantis, Haven was a jackal. But this once graceful woman was lost in the shell of an insane woman.

"Everything alright?" Monty whispered into Iggy's ear. The man nodded and helped the young man load in Zoe.

"No one has even bothered us." Iggy said back, "Everything ok on your part."

"We had to knock out an ol' nurse. But we apologized. C'mon, let's get out of here." Iggy nodded and jumped into the ambulance as Haven took off.

When Iggy sat down he saw the younger man rip off his scrubs and cradle his head in his hands. Iggy had no idea how to relate to these new comers. Sure Monty's crew had encountered Reavers before but…it wasn't the same. The beautiful woman broke the silence.

"So what are we going to do?" Her voice reminded Iggy of a bird from his home planet. It made him both homesick and lusty at the same time.

"Well you can join my crew. We could use a good doctor like you Simon. Can't say that we've had better luck than Mal when it comes to fightin'. And at the moment our doctor is the cook!" Monty laughed large and out loud. It seemed incredibly out of place but Iggy was used to the man's random laughter.

"And 'Nara…well….you always can help us-"

"I will not take any of the crew as clients if that is what you're getting at Monty." The woman said with absolute confidence and majesty. Monty shook his head.

"Never meant that 'Nara. Wouldn't do that. Everyone on my ship is gentlemanly-" Haven snorted from the cockpit. Iggy rolled his eyes.

"Haven wouldn't know a gentleman if he was giving her a lap dance." Iggy yelled in Haven's general direction.

"Because gentlemen always give lap dances…oh wait that's only invalid circus performers." Haven yelled right back at Iggy.

Monty completely ignored his crew.

"Mal told me you were good with the one heist. And the more help the merrier."

"And Zoe?" Inara looked over to the casket that held Zoe's pregnant body.

"I'll watch her…" Simon said quietly, "I owe her that. At least." Monty nodded his approval. Inara placed her hand on Simon's back for comfort. But it didn't seem to help.

Iggy felt the need to break the tension.

"Well I guess I'll introduce myself. I'm Ignatious Finerly. Mechanic, tumbler, among other things. You can just call me Iggy." He held his hand out to Simon. The doctor nodded to him but did not take his hand.

"Simon." Was all he said.

"I'm Inara. Please to meet you Iggy…Simon's had a rough couple of days." Inara said to the mechanic.

"No problem. We all have our off days." Iggy sighed and twiddled his thumbs. "So Inara what do you do for a living?" Monty laughed once again.

"How dumb are you boy? If you didn't fix the ol' girl so well I would wonder if you were really a monkey." Iggy was left with a puzzled look on his face. No one was willing to explain to him what was so funny.

Jayne Cobb woke.

"Hazel! Go get Dr. Salmon. The big guy's awake!" Jayne heard voices say followed by the sound of running and heavy breathing. It took him a few moments to realize the heavy breathing was his own. His eyes finally began to tell the difference between blurs and actual objects. One such object was a voluptuous nurse who was checking all of the machines that surrounded Jayne.

"What the hell…" He attempted to say but his throat was throbbing with pain.

"Shhh…don't talk Mr. Cobb..." The nurse said to him, "You're throat has been damaged. Just wait for the doctor…and thank God that you are alive." Just then all of the memories of what happened at Serenity rushed back to him.

"Kaylee?" Jayne mouthed making sure his vocal cords were uninvolved. The nurse shook her head not understanding him. The mercenary looked to his left side…he remembered she lay there before he fell under. Now there was an empty bed where she used to be. No…not Kaylee…Jayne said to himself. He pointed over towards the empty bed and the nurse frowned.

"Oh. The young girl…she passed away last night. I'm sorry." This statement played repeatedly in Jayne's head. She was dead. His Kaylee…the girl who was the closest thing to family he ever had. Everyone on the boat made fun of Jayne's supposed stupidly…but not Kaylee. Jayne had brothers…but he never had a sister, until he met Kaylee.

"No! You gorram fools are hiding her. You back births took her away." Jayne yelled, his voice was actually heard through a raspy gargle.

"Please Mr. Cobb! You need to remain calm for your own condition!" The nurse ran to restrain him, but he threw his hand against her waist to stop her. Not knowing his strength he hurled the nurse against the wall. She lost consciousness as she hit the floor. Jayne pulled all of the tubes from his body and jumped out of the hospital bed. He rushed through the hospital with nothing on his body other than the hospital gaze. He had to find her. They were hiding her. It was all because of Simon and his crazy sister, now the whole Alliance was on their tails and they took his Kaylee away. They took her and they were hiding her. Jayne rushed down the hallways throwing his head into every room as he went by.

"Mr. Cobb!" A doctor in the hallway screamed. "You shouldn't be out of bed! Look at your legs!" Jayne pulled his head out of a room and let his head fall to look at his legs. They looked more like a patchwork quilts than legs. And the seams were beginning to snap and blood began to spurt out. Jayne looked up at the doctor with a mixture of hatred and sorrow. He felt a pin prick in his body and then he didn't feel anything.

From the moment Inara put her left foot onto "Sister" she knew that she would stay for a while. Although she was no Serenity, she did seem, oddly enough like a sister of Inara's old ship. She thought that it might be the fact that similar men controlled them. Worn out men from a lost war looking for a reason to stay alive…but Mal was gone now. Monty explained to Inara on the way, that Sister was also a transport ship but slightly larger than Serenity. There were more tenant rooms and a larger hold area. The only thing that Sister lacked was an infirmary. But Simon would probably take care of that. Inara turned her head to get the young doctor's take on the ship. Instead of finding awe or disapproval she found indifference.

"I'll need to turn one of the rooms into an infirmary. Is there a certain room you don't use?" Simon asked Monty who was busy helping Iggy transfer the wheelchair Zoe was currently in, off the shuttle.

"Well you can take yer pick. There's only seven of them taken by my crew. So if you see varmints in the room just keep on going." Monty said pushing Zoe to Simon who took hold of the wheelchair and Zoe, who still silent. He nodded and started to walk towards the right side of the grand staircase that was in the middle of the ship.

"Not even a thank you? Man what is that guy's problem? No one has a day that bad." Iggy grumbled taking off his brown beret. Inara sent him a death stare.

"Why don't you watch the ones you love be killed by Reavers then you can worry about Simon's manners." She snapped. Monty looked down at the floor and Haven rolled her eyes at her ex. Inara shook her head, amazed that she allowed her emotions to take such a hold on her. She supposed that the Reaver attack changed her as well.

"I'm sorry…" Iggy said shoving his hands into his pockets. He ran up the stairs and wandered into the opening that was to the far left. Inara watched him as he went, he just didn't understand…he didn't seem like a bad person.

Inara's thoughts were broken when a muscular black man with a huge gun walked into the holding area. He was even larger than Jayne. His bicep looked like the size of a cantaloupe from Isis. The companion was forced to falter slightly, the frown on his face looked lethal…not to mention his size.

"How was the trip? I hope the Alliance stayed away from our new crew members." The man's deep yet gentle voice asked with a newly made smile on his face. Inara was forced to raise her eyebrow.

"Of course. We did kinda borrowed a plan from the Serenity crew…so it had to work." Monty said with a smile. Inara didn't feel like telling Monty the same plan that they used actually resulted in the Alliance capturing three of their members.

"I'm glad to hear it." The man said with a laugh as large as he was. He stomped over to Inara and held his hand out.

"Darcy Jenners. I take care of these babies." He said nodding his head towards his weapon. Inara took his hand and shook it.

"Inara Serra." Darcy smiled larger, if it was possible.

"Inara, now that's a pretty name."

"It means ray of light…heaven sent. It is quite beautiful." Another male voice said. A man walked over to Inara with a slight smile on his face. He was also a larger man but next to Darcy he looked practically tiny. He had a filthy derby hat on his head that he lifted when he came to Inara.

"Efram Zhen. Resident merc and resident scholar." He bowed to her and took her hand that he gently kissed. Inara tried to smile but she noticed that the man's teeth were practically green they were so filthy.

"Pleased to meet you." She managed to say.

"Oh believe me you will retract that statement later on." Haven said with a wry smile as she came into the room. Efram ignored the pilot and offered Inara his arm.

"May I show you around?" He asked. Inara looked at his arm and shook her head she couldn't imagine what germs his skin carried if the man never brushed his teeth.

"Oh no thank you…I can manage on my own."

"Yeah sister!" Haven said starting to walk in front of the men. She flicked her long curly red hair in Efram's face on her way to the cockpit.

"Oh that girl." He mumbled to himself. Inara turned her head back to Monty to see a thin teenage boy struggling with a box that contained meds that Zoe needed. Inara rushed to help the boy. He looked shocked when she took the other side of the box.

"I…I…" He started to say as Efram picked Inara's arms off the box.

"He can manage." He said putting her hands on his forearm. She immediately ripped her arms from his.

"Efram…go tell Haven to get Sister goin." Monty replied with an authority in his voice that Inara had never heard before. She looked back to Monty with a certain amount of thanks in her eyes, although she didn't need his help. Efram mumbled something vulgar and ran up the top of the stairs and stopped at the middle doorframe, which opened to the cockpit. The man looked down at Inara with a dirty glance and then threw himself into the room.

"I'm sorry, 'Nara. He's a good man…smart as a whip…"

"But he doesn't respect women or anyone for that matter. There's a reason Haven's room is as far away from his as possible. Not that she couldn't take him." Darcy sighed while adjusting his gun so it was now on his back. The boy walked past them and stumbled into the direction that Simon went. He almost slowed down to get a look at the new woman but he continued on remembering how Efram humiliated him. Inara however watched him all of the time.

"Who is that?" She asked looking towards Darcy.

"Bastian. Bastian Montague. He's the mutt of the crew. Poor kid." Darcy sighed again with a frown.

"He's made of hearty stuff, just like him Mum." Monty said coming along side Inara. He did not offer her his arm, instead he simply said,

"Want to pick out your new room? I'll steer you far from Efram. We can make sure that it's close to Simon's infarmary…" Inara smiled genially, the first one in a long time.

"I would like that." She said not bothering to correct the correct pronunciation of infirmary.

So that's it! Please review, though do not flame me please, constructive citicism is welcome though. Thanks all :)


End file.
